When it comes to home design, it can be easy to prioritize things like the kitchen, bedroom, or outdoor space. But let’s be honest - we spend a tremendous amount of time in the bathroom at home, and it’s necessary to give it a design touch worthy of its importance.
Whether looking to spruce up your space before hosting guests for the holidays or making home design a resolution for the new year, the team at DesignCraft Kitchen & Bath, a Brentwood-based design group that originated in Tampa, is here to share tips, tricks, and trends for bathroom design as we look ahead to 2024.
“Right now, we are seeing a lot of clients converting their deck mounted tubs to freestanding tubs or eliminating the tub completely and enlarging the shower, where sometimes the tub becomes part of the shower,” Tracy Urso, DesignCraft Kitchen & Bath CFO, says. “Bathrooms are becoming that showpiece in a home.”
If you’re looking for ways to spruce up your space sans sledgehammer, consider making a few minor updates – things like upgrading flooring, cabinets, fixtures, or countertops – for cosmetic improvements that make a big difference.
“Many times, if the footprint works, then plumbing doesn’t need to be moved and walls and ceiling height can be left as-is,” Tracy adds. “This eliminates some of the time it takes to renovate and offers a less expensive transformation. We are happy to service minor and major renovations. We don’t shy away from an inexpensive project.”
While these less complicated tweaks can certainly make a splash, sometimes your vision calls for a bigger job. Tracy recommends knocking out all planned upgrades in one fell swoop, incorporating things like new cabinets, counters, mirrors, paint, plumbing fixtures, and gutting and replacing things like the shower or bathtub into one major project.
Opting to do renovations in stages is more costly, time consuming, and can result in delays, and Tracy cautions against serving as your own project manager. Hiring an all-inclusive contractor allows you to save time and avoid the headache of managing the project yourself. Doing your own scheduling and ordering your own materials can cause delays, and your contractor cannot be responsible for work you hire someone else to do or materials that you provide.
“Don’t expect things to go with no hiccups, there are always challenges in every remodel,” Tracy shares. “Try to relax and not to stress out. The end result is well worth the disruption in your life.”
Tracy’s passion for home design began in high school, where she dreamed of going into architecture. She went to college to study interior design, but in her early professional years, her degree was mostly put to use in her own home or lending her expertise to friends and family. “I met the team of DesignCraft back in 2018 and began helping them part-time with some financial work,” Tracy shares. “I quickly moved into more operational services assisting the field team with project management, purchasing, and quality control. In 2021, I officially became a partner with DesignCraft as we decided to expand into Brentwood. We opened our doors in
2022 with our Brentwood Showroom.”
The team at DesignCraft Kitchen & Bath helps bring home renovation visions to life by listening to your goals, creating designs that match your vision, providing product samples, and overseeing the full scope of the project to ensure things run smoothly and stay on budget.
“I love seeing the transformation in the spaces,” Tracy adds. “The organization and planning it takes to bring a client's vision to reality is challenging and exhilarating at the same time.”
Tracy’s final piece of advice when approaching a bathroom remodel project is to do your homework prior to starting your project.
“Find a licensed contractor to do the work and ensure they are both licensed and insured,” Tracy adds. “Ask for references. Read reviews and get multiple quotes. Communication is our number one priority. If you can’t get a timely estimate up front, then you most likely won’t have a good experience once the work begins. Be sure to compare bids with the same scope of work.”
DesignCraftKitchens.com
